Buzz
If you're majoring in the humanities, you might not expect to match the earning potential of your engineering or computer science peers after graduation. However, due to society's tendency to avoid discussions on money, you may be blissfully unaware of how much of a gap exists in earnings between your field and others.
While sites like Payscale and Glassdoor are commonly used to research salary data and compare job titles, there’s another resource worth considering if you're still early in your college journey.
The Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce examined the wages of 15 major categories (such as business, health, and social sciences) and 137 subcategories (like animal science, music, and petroleum engineering). Published in 2015, the report uses data from graduates in the 25th to 75th percentiles of income. It's an interactive tool that allows comparisons of salaries both nationally and within individual states.
The report reveals that while the lifetime wage difference between a high school and college graduate averages $1 million, the gap between the lowest- and highest-paying majors (early childhood education versus petroleum engineering) stretches to $3.4 million. Additionally, individuals with a graduate degree earn 28 percent more than those holding only a Bachelor’s degree.
To explore the interactive feature, simply select the state you're interested in and search for your major. The chart will display the interquartile salary for a Bachelor's degree at both the national and state levels (clicking the circle in the middle of the bars shows the exact figures), along with the graduate degree salary, if available.
For instance, I looked up journalism in New York:
And in Michigan, my home state:
You can also view national data for submajors within a particular category:
Here are a few other intriguing findings from the report:
On average, those with a Bachelor’s degree earn $61,000 annually throughout their careers.
Individuals holding a graduate degree earn an average annual salary of $78,000.
Among the broad major categories, architecture and engineering pay the most, with petroleum engineering earning the highest of all majors.
Education majors earn the least within broad categories, with early childhood education being the lowest-paying major overall.
STEM graduates make the most at entry-level positions, earning $43,000 annually, while arts, humanities, and liberal arts graduates earn $29,000 annually.
Business major salaries vary significantly, ranging from $43,000 annually at the 25th percentile to $98,000 annually at the 75th percentile.
Education majors see the smallest wage variation, from $35,000 annually at the 25th percentile to $59,000 at the 75th percentile.
It’s worth experimenting with the tool yourself and checking out the full report, packed with valuable insights into salary ranges. Use it for your own research or to persuade your child against spending tens of thousands of dollars on a journalism degree.
